FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT ARMANDO VALLADARES - PAGE 4

He became an instant hero. Flying into Cuba. Snatching his family. Escaping to Key West. Orestes Lorenzo could do no wrong. He became a legend days before Christmas when he rescued his wife and two sons from the communist dictatorship. But then he proposed taking humanitarian aid to Cuba -- a taboo in much of the vehemently anti-Communist Cuban-American community. Now, Lorenzo can do no right -- especially in Miami. "There are two five-letter words to describe him: a fraud and a cynic," said radio talk show host Margarita Ruiz.

When in this country did it become illegal for parents to spend their own money on their children's birthday party in whatever manner or fashion they see fit? I find it appalling that a number of people believe that it is in some way unfair for a parent to spend his own money for a birthday party, extravagant or otherwise. Have the American people been socialized into believing this is a crime? America was founded as the land of opportunity, a place where a man could forge his own future and reap the benefits.

Palm Beach County has had Spanish architecture, Spanish place names, Spanish moss and about 70,000 Hispanic people. But no Hispanic festival. Until now. Thanks in part to funding from a type of cultural affirmative action program, the first annual Palm Beach County Hispanic Festival will make its debut with arts events across the county today through mid-November. "It`s been a long time coming," said Luciano Martinez, executive director of the Hispanic Human Resources Council. "There`s been a thirst here for many years" for this type of festival.

HAVANA -- The chair on the porch of Elizardo Sanchez`s house is empty, and the garage where he used to receive foreign reporters is locked. Sanchez, an outspoken critic of Fidel Castro`s government, is in jail. Despite the government`s talk of bringing more democracy to Cuba and creating an atmosphere in which citizens can speak without fear, it has cracked down hard on Sanchez and a small group of other dissidents who have been seeking just those things. Sanchez, leader of the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, is serving a two-year sentence for spreading "false news" by talking to foreign journalists.